Disclaimer: While I Do own Deltora Quest I do not own the rights to it, Emily Rodda does, so this is simply a fan Fic!

A/N: Hey all, did this for the fan fic challenge which I won, but in my opinion only because no one else entered, and I felt that I would at least like to know what people think of it. So here it is, hope you can stand it long enough to review.

One mans life:

I know I am not the smartest guard, nor am I loyal or even kind. In truth I would rather please myself than someone else, but that is just who I am.

That is all anyone will ever be, themselves. Whether they do great or terrible things. Whatever they do, however they act, they are still themselves. I always keep that thought in mind when I think of the past and the future.

That is why when I look back through my life, I do not feel regret, anger or even sorrow, I know that I have been the best that I can be simply by existing.

I remember the night that changed my life. Before that night I never questioned, I just continued to carry out my missions in a dream-like state, in a state of neither life nor death. That feeling, though I am now free of it, is what made me understand what I was. And in that I realized that I simply was not living.

I was not an Ol, with free feelings and desires. I was simply a Grey Guard, one among many. Nothing special about me, I was simply an empty vessel waiting to be awoken.

It was years ago now, so many years ago. But, I still remember it vividly. The pain, horror, but most of all the pleasure.

I was what one of a new pod of Grey Guards. An advanced Pod, unlike any before us. We would not disintegrate like the others, we would live forever by our master’s side, serving him and killing all who opposed.

Our master had sent us on a mission, one of great importance. Our Pod, the Bak Pod, was to head to the resistance strong hold.

The network of spies had said that the strong hold was allied to another strong hold run by a man named Doom. Our master seemed to have wanted very much to find the whereabouts of them man named Doom, and it was our mission to destroy the allied resistance and question any survivors about the whereabouts of this man.

We set out knowing that our master would be pleased with our work once we brought him news of one of his greatest enemies.

It did not take us long to find the hidden tunnels that served as their base and soon we had killed all but three members of their group. One was our spy, and had the right to move around freely, though I did notice with some amusement that his former comrades glared at the small man continuously. The other two were, according to our spy, the two main influences in there pitiful excuse for an army.

“Did you really think this would be enough to destroy all even half of our army?” I remember asking incredulously as I gestured to the remains of their homes.

Receiving no answer, my brother, Bak eight walked over and addressed me.

“Do not waste your breath on the Tick brother,” he said, “We have nearly done our job, now all we need do is question the ticks about the man Doom.”

I nodded, and I realized that I did in fact relish the idea of questioning these fools. It seemed to me as though my purpose was not only to serve my master, but to inflict pain upon all within my reach. I smiled at the thought, and then as Bak eight moved forwards towards our prisoners with the intention of ‘questioning’ them I also realized that I did not need anyone else to help me accomplish this thing.

I stood suddenly, and without even thinking lunched ten blisters at all in my Pod. I smiled as I saw them thrash wildly on the ground, their skin disintegrating into nothing more then a gray-white slop.

Frowning I looked at the slop for a while.

Is this what the Gray Guards are made of? I questioned.

I turned then, watching the two prisoners look at me without comprehension in their pathetic eyes.

“I must find that spy,” I said out loud, and turned just in time to see him run through the trees.

I laughed, the hunt was on. I took off after him, and in a mater of seconds had managed to land a blister on his left knee. He thrashed, as the others from my Pod had done, but he also screamed.

The sounds of his screams still echo in my mind, because it was then I realized that I did not care what it was I killed, as long as I caused it pain.

I smiled then, thinking of all the pleasure of which I had deprived myself over the years, only killing who my master told me too. Denying myself the pleasure that was literally life and death.

It was like I was awoken by that man’s screams, they pierced my mind and I saw just how enjoyable life could be.

Smiling, I turned back to finish the two remaining prisoners. I did not use blisters with them, not until the very end at any rate, I made their deaths as long and drawn out as I possible could, relishing every moment of it.

I continued to kill, without either pity or question as to who I killed. It lasted for many weeks, the random killings, until one day.

I had been traveling for some time when I came across a large group of Grey Guards talking about some kind of ‘entertainment’ planned for that night and how they would have to miss it as a result of the raid they had to make on a near by town.

I had snuck up behind them with the intent to kill them. Suddenly something caught their attention.

I remember a blinding flash of light heat up the sky somewhere to the south. The light seared my eyes and burned my skin. I cried out in pain, falling to the ground. All I know is, I must have passed out, because the next thing I knew it was night.

I staggered to my feet, fighting the urge to fall back to my knees and retch. Breathing heavily I wildly whipped my head around, searching for the Grey Guards I had been about to kill before I had passed out.

There was nothing there, nothing but the same gray-white slop I had seen once before.

“What?” I said to myself as I walked around the puddles. My mind still felt foggy and I couldn’t seem to focus. “What….happened?”

Something had happened, I knew that much, and I also knew it had something to do with the blinding light that had come form the South. But still, I had no idea what had caused that light, or even how that light had killed the surrounding gray-guards.

“Something…” I uttered beneath be breath, still trying to make sense of what had just occurred, “has most certainly happened….”

“That it has young fella,” an old croaking voice said behind me.

I turned to see a wrinkled face staring at me with hopeful eyes. There seemed to be a happiness in his eyes that I had never seen before in a human.

“They must have hit you pretty hard young fella,” the old man stated, hobbling forwards slowly and motioning toward the gray-white puddles, “I guess that means you have no idea of what came to pass last night?”

I shook my head, fighting the desire to kill that welled up inside me. I needed to know what was happening first.

“The young king of Deltora has finally come to rescue his people and vanquish the evil that has taken over our fair land.” The man puffed with happiness, something I was not used too seeing.

“So?” I asked, “What do you mean?”

“It means,” said the man, looking at me as if I were simple minded, “That the Shadow Lord has finally been beaten back from our land and again resides in the Shadow Lands.”

I frowned at the man, and he began to back away from me, muttering something under his breath. That odd look of ‘hope’ was still in his eyes, yet he seemed to have finally noticed my shabby uniform, the dirt and dry blood covered it.

Before the man could call out, I reached forwards and broke his neck. The man crumpled and son his lifeless eyes stared unknowingly at the sky. Any past hope forgotten.

“So,” I smiled to myself, “The eternal Shadow Lord was beaten back by nothing more then a boy?” my lips curled at the thought.

“All his minions destroyed….” I thought for a moment, something in me seemed to doubt, “Why am I still here?”

My thoughts suddenly clicked. Again I examined the small area that was now patched with puddles,

They were gray-guards, like myself, I thought, and they were destroyed by whatever power that boy wildered, so why wasn’t I destroyed?

I couldn’t understand why I was still alive, while so many of my kind had been turned into nothing more then puddles.

I remember walking, though I do not remember exactly for how long. All I knew was I that I needed to know why, why I was still able to live while everyone else had died.

It seems, I remember thinking one day, that I am different for a reason. I have control over my own thoughts, unlike most of my kind.

The answer would not be simple, and to my mind the only reasonable thing to do was to go to the one that knew more about the makings of gray guards then any other. I would have to venture into the shadow lands.

Since I was a gray Guard I knew that it would be easy to just walk through the small passage that was exempt from the force field, which acted as a barrier for most of the border.

Yes, I knew that part would be easy; my only difficulty would be that of finding a way to talk to the Shadow Lord.

The trading route was opened to bring new Guards into Deltora, and food into The Shadow lands. It was located near the Dread Mountain and was always under heavy protection.

That Route was needed for many reasons, but it was also a weakness, a place for the slaves to escape and for rebels to attack.

I would have no trouble, I knew that much, seeing that the Shadow Lord and all who followed him seemed oblivious to the fact that I even existed.

That idea woke me from my drifting, I now had a place to go, a reason to travel. Looking around me though, I realized I had no real idea where I was.

“Well,” I said to myself, “the Shadowlands are to the north…so I guess I will just keep walking North until I find them…then follow the Border until I find the trading route.”

It only took three days to reach the small pass, during which time I came into contact with no living being.

The ‘Pass’ was just how I remembered it, though it seemed to me as though there were fewer guards then was normal.

“Strange,” I said, “I would have thought more precautions would have been taken since the Shadow Lord was beaten back, though it seemed the other way around.”

I knew something odd was going on, my mind kept screaming to me that it was a trap, but if it were a trap then it wouldn’t be a trap for me.

No one took notice of my tattered uniform, as long as I wore it I was still a gray Guard.

Listening to people as I passed I learned that that night there was to be some sort of entertainment at the Arena and that all Gray Guards And Ol’s were to attend.

Probably a show of might on the Shadow Lords part. I thought, wondering about those that would probably die.

Smiling, I decided that the Shadowlord would be at the Arena, therefore I would also be able to witness the ‘festivities’ for myself.

I tried to push down the thrill I felt at the prospect of seeing someone die, it seemed like ages since I had witnessed a death.

It did not take long to arrive at the Arena and, pushing my way through the throng of exited Gray Guards and Ols, I finally found a seat near a high tower. I knew if the Shadow Lord was to show himself he would reside in the tower for the duration of his visit.

Soon, a red clad woman marched up to the platform that was surrounded by slaves.

She turned towards the gate, a cool smile lighting up her features, and I realized, this women was human! A human in a respected position in the Shadow Lands…. what was going on?

“Today a new era begins!” the Red-clad women screamed, silencing the crowd. “After today, nothing will stand in the master’s way. Wherever he lays his hand, all will bow down before him, and do his will. As you will see.”

She raised her hand to summon someone to do her will, “Bring Faith!”

Everyone murmured as a small girl was brought forth towards the platform.

“This is the sister of one of the master’s most vicious enemies,” the woman in red shouted, “but, like the gnome who will be joining her, a gnome I know to be the worst of traitors-she will soon bow willingly before the master”

The Audience around me roared, though I knew that this would mean their demise. The Shadowlord would have no use for Ol’s or Guards with human slaves.

“Bring out the Cage!” cried the woman.

Looking towards the gates, I saw a group of Gray Guards pulling and pushing a large covered cage into the arena. After a word from someone, the uncovered the cage and soon four figures came into view.

I smiled as the lightning cracked and the figures below me in the Arena fought each other. The chaos was so interesting to watch.

The slaves screamed, the Ols and guards around me swarmed forwards, trying to understand what was happening, and I looked up as I heard the screeching of Ak-baba above me.

Someone knocked over a large pot, and from it millions of tiny little red worms went fourth, searching for the slaves.

Soon though, I saw a small figure of a boy raise something to his lips and a clear note filled the arena, reverberating of the high walls and magnifying in sound.

Everything halted, the worms thrashed and twisted, their deaths immanent. The Guards and Ols around me flung their arms and hands over their ears, withering in agony as they tried to block out the sound.

I stood, watching everyone around me fall to the ground or slump in their seats. Again I seemed immune to whatever weakness ailed those around me.

A clap of thunder woke me from my thoughts, and I saw red smoke recoiling back into a tower. I remembered the reason I was there in the first place, and soon was jumping over the fallen bodies of those around me in an effort to make it towards the tower before the Shadow Lord left.

The note ended, and those around the boy started to murmur and look around themselves in confusion. And soon the red smoke was again surging into the arena. But once again, the pure clear musical note rose throughout the enclosure and soon after everyone was on their knees again.

Without anyone in my way I made good time and was soon scaling the walls of the tower with my ability to climb walls aiding me in my quest.

I pulled myself over the window ledge and looked around the small stone room, coughing a little as the smoke invaded my lungs.

“Who are you…?” a weak voice hissed as the note still hung in the air about us.

“I am Bak 3,” I replied, “tell me…” I began, only to have the note outside end and the Shadow Lord roar while trying to move through the small window once again.

The force of the cloud movements pulled me through the open window and soon I found myself sailing through the air only to land heavily on my back.

The dark red smoke was rising once again, but soon music was playing, loud, but I barely registered it due to the fact that I appeared to land in a crowd of slaves.

Someone helped me to my feet, not even questioning where I had come from, and I was grateful that he didn’t notice my shabby uniform.

I was about to run toward the tower once more when suddenly I fell unconscious.

I don’t remember anything of what happened, though I slightly remember seeing bright colours and water. The next thing I knew though, I was standing under the sun in a green garden. The breeze blew around me and I could not tell where I was.

Soon, people around me began to cheer, and I realized that I was no longer in the Shadow Lands. Somehow, I had no idea how, but somehow I had been transported to the place in Del.

So this is the magic of the young king…I thought stunned. I saw the young boy who had been holding that pipe talking to a small girl with dark hair and smiling at her, and I realized that sooner or later someone would notice my uniform, shabby or not.

I turned, and slowly walked out the palace gates, ignoring the cheering and rejoicing of those around me. I had not travelled far down the road when all of a sudden I smiled. I realized that it didn’t matter.

That is why when I look back into my life, I do not feel regret, sorrow or anger at never knowing what made me different. The fact that I was able to live was enough for me.

Smiling, a walked on, knowing that the futile battle would forever be going on between the two lands. And that I didn’t mean anything, and that all I had to offer was the deaths of others.

“Let them have today,” I said to myself, with what to me sounded like glee, “soon, I will do what I was made to do. Soon…my day will come…”

OK! So, tell me what you think, I know it was kind of…yeah…. but the point was so many people go around doing what they think is right, following the orders given to them buy someone with more money, or in this case power, but this guy wakes up and sees that he would rather just kill people because that is what he likes doing. …Get my point?